André Sornay

French
[1902 - 2000]

André Sornay was one of the best and most innovative designers of the 20th Century. He lived and worked in Lyon and possibly because he did not work in Paris he was not as well known as other contemporary desginers such as Le Corbusier and Prouve. He studied art at the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Lyon. His family had a furniture business which he had to head beginning at the age of 17 because of his father's untimely death. He was highly influenced by the Bauhas and DeStilj movements.

This set of four French Art Deco arm chairs was designed and made by Andre Sornay (1902 – 2000) in Lyon, France. The chairs are constructed of solid mahogany with the arms connected to the front and rear legs with an exposed finger joint. The back splat is ribbon mahogany veneer. Two chrome rods, placed at the rear, hold the chair together. The rod heads and screws are disguised brass with "Ponte d’Ivery" covers. The upholstery is brown leather and is fastened to the back splat with "Ponte d"Ivery" covers. Each chair is 37" high x 20 ½" deep and 20 ½" wide. All are in excellent vintage condition.
$ 5900 the four

This pair of French art deco arm chairs was designed and made by the Master Andre Sornay (1902 - 2000) in Lyon, France. The chairs are constructed of blond maple and are decorated with tiny brass nails an effect Sornay called “Le Cloutage” and which he patented in 1932. The upholstery on both seat and back is held with closely spaced brass upholstery tacks. Each chair is 32” wide 23” deep and 36 ½ high.

This art deco silverplate and ebony tea service was designed in 1927 by Louis Süe (1875 - 1968) and André Mare (1887 - 1932) for their firm "La Compagnie Des Arts Francais", referred to at that time as "Süe et Mare". Süe, an architect and Mare, a painter, opened their company in 1919 and left in 1928. The service, in a formal Moderne design is listed in their 1927 catalog as number 5526. They produced very few designs in silver and this is probably the most "deco" of their silver designs. This very rare complete set is as pictured in Florence Camard's book "Süe et Mare".